Bharti Airtel Limited announced that its enterprise arm, Airtel Business, has won a multi-year contract from the Indian Railway Security Operations Centre (IRSOC) to design, build, implement, and operate a 24×7 cybersecurity protection ecosystem for the national transporter.
Key details of the contract
The project will establish a greenfield, multi-layered defense architecture to safeguard the vast digital infrastructure of Indian Railways, which operates over 13,000 trains daily and serves more than 20 million passengers. Airtel will provide a centralized and resilient cybersecurity system to protect sensitive data, including ticketing, payment, freight, and signalling systems, ensuring secure and uninterrupted operations across 26 railway zones and 160,000 employees.
The company will deploy a sovereign, AI-embedded cybersecurity stack comprising endpoint protection, next-generation monitoring systems, threat intelligence, and dark web surveillance. The solution will include AI-driven SIEM, SOAR, and UEBA systems capable of detecting threats within 20 seconds — setting an industry benchmark for real-time defense.
Statements from leadership
Sharat Sinha, CEO and Director of Airtel Business, said, “We are honoured to be chosen by IRSOC as their trusted partner to fortify the security of India’s most complex and large-scale digital infrastructure. Our robust security layer will safeguard all railway operations from evolving cyber threats while ensuring seamless digital experiences for millions of commuters.”
Dilip Kumar, Executive Director (Information & Planning), Railway Board, emphasized the strategic significance of the initiative, noting that cybersecurity is critical given Indian Railways’ growing reliance on digital systems for operations, maintenance, and procurement. He added that IRSOC would serve as a centralized monitoring and response hub, improving service delivery and passenger safety.
Technology and impact
Under the contract, Airtel Secure will provide Indian Railways with:
- Unified compliance dashboards for real-time visibility across 26+ locations.
- AI-driven endpoint detection and response solutions.
- Patch and vulnerability management for over 190,000 critical devices.
- Advanced access controls across firewalls, routers, and MPLS networks.
Over 1 billion Indians are expected to benefit indirectly through improved data protection for services such as ticket booking, train tracking, and digital payments.
About Airtel Business and Indian Railways
Airtel Business serves over 600 million customers globally across 15 countries, offering enterprise solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, IoT, and secure connectivity.
Indian Railways, one of the world’s largest rail networks, has electrified 99% of its broad-gauge routes and is advancing digital modernization through initiatives like IRCTC’s SwaRail app and the Vande Bharat Express project.
